8. If a jar lid is stubborn, bang it on the kitchen floor a couple times, and the top will twist right off.

9. Put rock-hard brown sugar in the microwave for 15 seconds, and it will be as soft as the day you bought it.

10. If you buy a good cut of steak, don't marinate it. Just sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and grill it (either outside or on a grill pan). It will never taste better than that.

What are your favorite cooking tips?

My Weekly Menu

Monday: Whole-wheat thin spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed broccoliI had ambitions to make Kale Braised in Red Wine last night, but after an hour-long training session at the gym and a vet appointment, all I could do was put some frozen broccoli in the microwave.

Tip: I used ground pork instead of ground beef, and added some red wine, pepper, and red pepper flakes to jarred spaghetti sauce. It really jazzed up the flavor of the sauce.